Symptoms of Asbestos Illness

Asbestos Symptoms and Treatment / Asbestos Symptoms

Asbestos exposure can lead to many diseases, including cancer.

Asbestos is a known human carcinogen, capable of causing serious medical conditions up to and including cancer. However, asbestos-related diseases are different from other illnesses. 

Symptoms of asbestos illness can take decades to appear.

Asbestos illnesses have a long latency. That means people who have worked with or lived around asbestos may not experience any symptoms for decades after their first exposure.

Since the symptoms of asbestos exposure are often similar to the symptoms of other, less serious conditions, many people do not realize or understand that they have a life-threatening asbestos-related illness.

Where Asbestos is Found

Between the 1920s and 1970s, asbestos could be found almost everywhere. Common asbestos products included:

  • Automotive parts, such as brake pads, hood liners, and gaskets.
  • Tiles used to protect and decorate floors, roofs, and ceilings.
  • Roof materials, especially asphalt- and cement-based shingles and underlayment.
  • Siding used outside of homes, offices, and schools.
  • Heat-resistant materials, like duct covers and pipe insulation.

While the Environmental Protection Agency began restricting the sale of asbestos products in the 1970s and 1980s, many American homes and consumer products remain contaminated by this mineral.

Unfortunately, while asbestos-related diseases are slow to develop, they can be incredibly difficult to treat. In fact, the National Cancer Institute has stated that no amount of asbestos exposure is safe.

“Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after exposure.”

—National Cancer Institute (NIH)1

The Medical Dangers of Asbestos

Asbestos was once called a “miracle mineral,” renowned for its strength, resiliency, and heat-resistant properties. People have sought to harness asbestos’s benefits for thousands of years. However, asbestos production only skyrocketed after the Industrial Revolution, when soaring birth rates and an increasingly urban population prompted American manufacturers to find the best way to fabricate inexpensive but durable products.

Unfortunately, asbestos’s strength is what makes it dangerous. In fact the American Lung Association has stated that once inhaled or swallowed, some asbestos fibers never leave the body.2

Asbestos is most hazardous when its fibers become airborne.

When asbestos is underground, trapped beneath floors, or behind walls, it does not pose a significant hazard to human health. But when asbestos is used in industry, or broken down in the course of home renovations, it can crumble, sending tiny, undetectable particles into the air. 

When asbestos is airborne, it can enter the lungs. 

Over time, asbestos can accumulate inside the lungs, infiltrating the respiratory system and damaging other parts of the body.

“Some asbestos fibers may bypass…your body’s natural defenses…and lodge deep within your lungs. Those fibers can remain in place for a very long time and may never be removed.”

—American Lung Association

When people do develop the signs of asbestos exposure, their initial symptoms usually involve the lungs. However, asbestos can affect different parts of the body, too, including the throat, stomach, and colon.

Keep in mind that the symptoms of asbestos exposure are often similar to the symptoms of other, less serious conditions. If you have related symptoms, speak to a healthcare professional about steps you can take to test and monitor for asbestos exposure and illness.

Lung Damage from Asbestos Exposure

If asbestos affects the lungs, it could cause general symptoms including:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry coughing
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Pleural plaques on lung x-rays or C.T. scans
  • Crackling sound when breathing
  • Fluid inside the lungs

Other Bodily Damage from Asbestos Exposure

When asbestos affects other parts of the body, it could cause symptoms such as:

  • Abdominal swelling
  • Abdominal or pelvic pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Clubbed or rounded fingers
  • Unexpected or unexplained weight loss

Malignant and Non-Malignant Illnesses and Symptoms

Certain asbestos-related disorders cause more specific symptoms. These symptoms are often dependent on whether the disease is:

  • Non-malignant: A non-malignant disease, condition, or illness is non-cancerous. Pleural plaques, for instance, can cause significant respiratory distress but they are not always cancerous. Even tumors can be non-malignant if they do not grow uncontrollably.
  • Malignant: A disease is malignant when it is characterized by abnormal and uncontrollable cellular growth. If a malignant tumor forms, cancer cells can break away from the original tumor. Over time, they can spread to other parts of the body, invading, damaging, and destroying otherwise healthy tissue and organs. Mesothelioma is an example of a serious, malignant medical condition.

Non-Malignant Asbestos Injuries

Non-malignant asbestos injuries are not always fatal, but can involve enormous discomfort and a debilitated lifestyle, as well as ongoing treatment and medical bills. Non-malignant asbestos illnesses can include:

  • Asbestosis, a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibers.
  • Pleural plaques, which are fiber deposits that form in the linings of the ribcage and diaphragm. While pleural plaques do not always cause noticeable respiratory problems, some patients have a “grating” feeling when they breathe.
  • Pleural effusions, or “water in the lungs.” This common condition can cause chest pain and difficulty breathing. In some rare cases, patients may have up to 4 liters of excess fluid around their chest and lungs.

Malignant Asbestos Illnesses

Malignant asbestos illnesses are usually fatal, and typically involve significant pain and difficult and prolonged medical treatment. Malignant asbestos-related diseases can include:

  • Mesothelioma, a cancer of the mesothelium, a thin layer of tissue surrounding many of the body’s major organs. Mesothelioma can affect different parts of the body, including the lungs, heart, and abdomen.
  • Lung cancer.
  • Laryngeal cancer, a cancer of the larynx (sometimes call the “voice-box”).
  • Ovarian cancer, affecting the ovaries and other aspects of women’s reproductive systems.

Asbestos Conditions Often Overlap With Other Illnesses

While we provide a comprehensive list of non-malignant and malignant asbestos illness symptoms below, people with a history of asbestos exposure should be aware that:

  • Asbestos-related illnesses have a wide range of symptoms, many of which may mimic the symptoms of other, less serious conditions.
  • People who have a history of asbestos exposure may be at a higher risk for diseases and cancers that are not typically caused by asbestos. Individuals who have a history of both asbestos exposure and tobacco use, for instance, are significantly more likely to develop lung cancer than those who have a history of only asbestos exposure or a history of only tobacco use.

If you have a history of asbestos exposure and are experiencing any general or specific asbestos-related symptoms, you should discuss it with your health provider.

The Symptoms of Non-Malignant Asbestos Illnesses

Asbestosis
  • Shortness of breath
  • Persistent cough
  • Wheezing
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Pain in the chest or shoulder
  • Clubbed fingers or toes
Pleural Plaques
  • Excessive coughing
  • Pain while breathing
  • Pain while coughing
Pleural Effusions

The Symptoms of Malignant Asbestos Illnesses

Mesothelioma of the Lungs (pleural mesothelioma)
  • Chest pain
  • Painful coughing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Lumps of tissue under the skin of the chest
  • Unexplained or unintentional, rapid weight loss
Mesothelioma of the Heart (pericardial mesothelioma)
  • Difficulty breathing, even when at rest or not performing any strenuous activities
  • Heart palpitations
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Heart murmurs
  • Persistent cough
  • Chest pain
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Night sweats
Mesothelioma of the Abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma)
  • Abdominal pain
  • Abdominal swelling
  • Nausea
  • Unexplained weight loss
Lung Cancer
  • Coughing that does not go away or gets worse over time
  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing
  • Coughing up blood
  • Chronic or constant fatigue
  • Unexplained weight loss
Laryngeal Cancer
  • Changes in voice tone
  • Hoarseness
  • Lump or swelling in the neck
  • Difficulty swallowing food or water
  • Persistent sore throat or earache
  • High-pitched wheezing noises while breathing
  • Difficulty breathing
Ovarian cancer

Don’t wait to get checked out if you have symptoms of asbestos illness

Asbestos-related illnesses have long latency periods, meaning they do not present any symptoms for decades. Consequently, many asbestos diseases are diagnosed late in life. The median age for a mesothelioma diagnosis, for instance, is 72.

When a physician identifies malignant mesothelioma or another, potentially life-threatening disease, their treatment options are often limited by the patient’s age and the presence of other medical conditions.

If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos cancer, your doctor could order treatments such as:

Surgery

While surgery is a common response to mesothelioma, your doctor’s approach to the tumor depends on its location and whether the cancer has spread. A surgeon could remove an entire lung and target any affected organs and tissue; conversely, they might spare the lung while trying to remove suspected cancerous growths.

Tumor treating field

A tumor treating field uses alternating electrical currents to disrupt the spread and growth of cancer cells. When used in combination with medication, T.T.F.s can reduce cancerous cell counts.

Chemotherapy

Mesothelioma treatments often combine conventional chemotherapy with medication such as pemetrexed and cisplatin. 

Radiation

Radiotherapy attacks cancerous growths with X-ray beams. Over time, these beams could degrade or even destroy a tumor.

Since treating mesothelioma is difficult, medical researchers are constantly trying and testing new treatments. Several of these experimental regimens have proven successful: 

Experimental Medications

Clinical trials have shown that a combination of two drugs—Opdivo and Yervoy—could decrease tumor growth by enhancing T-cell function. While some research suggests that these experimental medications may improve mesothelioma outcomes, they are still awaiting approval by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Gene Therapy

Mesothelioma patients can receive gene therapy treatment by participating in clinical trials. Gene therapy works by introducing aggressive anti-cancer cells. In some cases, gene therapy might improve the function of other medications.

Virotherapy

Viruses and pathogens do not only hurt people—they can hurt cancer cells, too. If a patient is eligible for virotherapy, their doctor will inject a cancer-killing virus directly into a tumor. This virus can supplement the immune system’s response by attacking and killing cancerous cells. While virotherapy may improve mesothelioma outcomes, it is rarely employed as a standalone treatment.

Other asbestos-related illnesses could require similarly intensive treatments. However, pleural plaques and even asbestosis do not always cause severe injury or significant respiratory distress. A physician will recommend a treatment plan dependent on your symptoms, health, and probable prognosis.

Affording Effective Asbestos Injury Treatments  

Asbestos-related illnesses have a devastating impact: they destroy lives, limit opportunities, and place an immense burden both on individual patients and entire families.

Unfortunately, even people with high-quality health insurance often find themselves driven to financial ruin by the costs of treatment. People who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, for instance, could face rapidly mounting medical expenses; some studies have estimated that mesothelioma treatments like chemotherapy could cost up to $12,000 per month, while associated hospitalizations average around $25,000 per incident.

Treatment for Mesothelioma and other Asbestos Illnesses Can Be Expensive

If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you may feel like you have few options. You might decline high-quality care to spare your family’s finances.

However, people who have been hurt by asbestos could be entitled to significant legal relief. This is because the asbestos industry knowingly exposed workers and consumers to injury. For decades, asbestos manufacturers told ordinary Americans that asbestos products were safe—safe to work with, safe to live with, and safe to bring home to their loved ones.

The Asbestos Industry’s Failure to Warn

But at the same time, these companies had their own concerns about asbestos. After the Second World War, they commissioned intensive studies, finding that asbestos exposure was associated with a laundry list of serious illnesses and potentially deadly diseases.

But the asbestos industry never released these reports. Instead, they kept the results secret, hoping they could continue to profit atop the suffering of not only consumers but their own employees. 

Today, the United States government recognizes the dangers of asbestos. The E.P.A., for instance, has put a broad ban on the manufacture, import, and sale of most asbestos products. And the courts have empowered the victims of the asbestos industry to pursue compensation for their injuries and losses.

Compensation for Health Problems Caused by Asbestos Exposure

If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness, you could receive recompense for your losses through:

  • An insurance settlement
  • An asbestos damages trust fund
  • A personal injury lawsuit

Asbestos Illnesses and the Death of Loved One

While no amount of money can alleviate the immense suffering caused by a cancer diagnosis or serious respiratory disorder, compensation could help improve a mesothelioma patient’s quality of life, ensuring they receive competent medical care without risking their family’s finances.

You could receive damages for expenses including but not limited to:

  • Past, present, and anticipated medical expenses
  • Physical rehabilitation
  • Prescription medication
  • Traditional and emerging mesothelioma treatments
  • Emotional pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment
  • Loss of companionship
  • Wrongful death

Every case is different, but when asbestos claims move to trial, mesothelioma victims and their loved ones routinely receive seven-figure settlements. This is because federal and state courts have found that asbestos companies were grossly negligent. They knew that asbestos was dangerous, but did nothing to stop employees and the public from being injured by their products.

Have You Been Hurt By An Asbestos Illness?

For us this is personal.

The Law Offices of Justinian C. Lane, Esq.-PLLC has a deep-seated commitment to assisting the victims of the asbestos industry. 

Unlike many other law firms, we understand exactly what it is like to lose a loved one to mesothelioma. Our founder, Justinian C. Lane, lost his father and his grandparents to asbestos-related cancers. When they passed away, nobody in Justinian’s family knew they could have claimed compensation to help pay their remaining medical bills and funeral costs. 

We have seen first-hand the toll mesothelioma takes on individuals and families–which is why we are dedicated to helping others not only get the compensation they need but the justice they deserve.

No Payment or Fee Unless You Receive Compensation

The Law Offices of Justinian C. Lane does not believe in charging potential clients who may be deep in grief. We offer free consultations: in person, over the phone, video call, and even email. And when we accept a new case, we do not ask our clients to pay for our services. We work on a contingency basis, which means that we cover the costs associated with litigation. We only get paid if we win, and we only take our payment as a percentage of the settlement. 

Our attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for people injured and killed by asbestos exposure. We could help you, too. 

While every asbestos case is different, we are driven by a sense of justice and aim to deliver justice for clients, whatever that might mean to them.

Contact Us Today

Please contact us online or call us at 833-4-ASBESTOS (427-2378) to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

1 National Cancer Institute (NIH), Asbestos Fact Sheet.
2 American Lung Association, Asbestos, How Asbestos Impacts Health (updated 2022).